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Letters To The Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 2, 2008

Free Market Effect

Regarding "Columnist Is Naïve" (Letters, July 29):

The letter writer claims that "the price of oil futures went down following upon and directly related to President Bush's changing the presidential ban on offshore drilling." He and others who agree are flat out wrong.

The drop in the price of oil futures is a function of the basic free market principle of supply and demand. Reacting to the high price of gas, Americans decreased the miles they drove significantly and demand for gas fell.

Additional factors may have been the easement of political tensions in the Middle East as saber-rattling by Iran and Israel diminished and fears over possible legislation to increase regulation of the commodities market by ending the so-called Enron loophole.

Nonetheless, President Bush's action was only coincidental to the drop in prices. Speculators after all were smart enough to know that without congressional approval, offshore drilling would not become a reality.

LES HETTINGER

Lakeland

Speeders Affect Prices

Anyone who credits the useless words of President Bush for the recent drop in crude oil prices can't grasp even simple economics.

Those patriotic Americans who have conserved fuel and lowered their demand deserve full credit for the current price drop. If your supply is limited, reducing demand creates more supply and cheaper prices. Those who refuse to conserve and continue to speed everywhere they go deserve the blame for high gas prices, not "environmentalists."

Habitual speeders permanently send billons of U.S. dollars out of the country and out of our economy.

MIKE BOND

Tampa

An Election Effect

My wife and I are planning our vacation in October and were wondering if the Tribune might be aware of any gas price reduction just before the general election in November.

CHUCK COATES

Avon Park

Don't Forget Weak Dollar
Never underestimate the power of a right-wing Republican to enter into a delusion so great that it beggars belief. We have one reader extolling Bush's recent lifting of a moratorium on offshore oil drilling saying, "He's done all he can." Oh, really?

Oil is traded in dollars. The reckless fiscal policy on behalf of this administration has managed to rack up a mind-blowing and wallet-busting federal deficit, borrowing money from just about everywhere in the world, thereby sinking the value of the dollar. Has the reader looked at the exchange rate lately? That factors into oil's rise.

Secondly, we cannot drill our way out of this problem. When you have someone like T. Boone Pickens, an oilman all his life, telling you that this isn't something we can drill our way out of, you had better listen. But, no, Bush, ever craven to the oil industry, wants to hand out another massive giveaway before he leaves office.

PHIL RYAN

Land O' Lakes

Congress Needs To Act

While the cost of a barrel of oil fluctuates as summer is wrapping up, I think we have all learned that we have to do more to decrease our reliance on foreign oil sources. I feel certain that this high cost of oil and gas is raising the cost of nearly everything and could be pushing us closer to recession.

Congress must address the rising cost of energy in the United States. I believe we can conserve our resources and develop new energy sources at the same time. Reasonably priced energy must be a priority.

To achieve this, let's find other energy resources. Offshore drilling, alternative energy and domestic development and exploration are the keys to leading our own way. American families, businesses and the economy all depend on it.

VIDAL VAZQUEZ

Safety Harbor

New Leases No Answer

Big Oil, their cronies in Congress and the Bush administration are exploiting the pain we are feeling at the pump by touting drilling as a solution, even though they know drilling will not lower prices at the pump.

But the Republicans know that scare-mongering is effective in gaining votes and donations from people who don't learn the facts. And that's why the Bush administration gets away with distorting reports from federal departments and scientists.

Bush's own Energy Department has said that any new drilling will have no effect on gas prices now and an "insignificant" effect on gas prices 15 to 20 years from now.

Rather than being fed the false claim that drilling will lower gas prices, Americans need real choices like cars with better fuel efficiency, tax incentives for riding mass transit and telecommuting, and consumer rebates funded by repealing billions in tax breaks for Big Oil.

RICK O'KEEFE

Tampa

Slow Down Voluntarily

Regarding "Lower Limit Not The Answer" (Letters, July 24):

There is good reason for the trucking industry to adhere to the DOT "10 on, 12 off" rule. Safety is the name of the game. Having spent nearly 20 years behind the wheel more than 20 years ago, I am happy to report that I am alive and well today. I didn't get rich, but I did successfully raise my family on my earnings.

Granted, relevancy is a big factor between yesterday and today's cost of living, but so are priorities. When one can make do with what one has and not with what one wants, then most anything is possible. By our accepting the increase of food, fuel and housing, but not liking it, the impossible can be obtained with some personal sacrifices.

The feds won't mandate a 55 mph rule again, but nothing can stop us from a voluntary improvement in our driving habits, with a financial savings as a bonus. Life is precious; slow down and smell the coffee.

PAUL MITCHELL

Thonotosassa

Government Overreach

A 55 mph speed limit on interstates would add about three hours of driving time to those of us who keep visiting our families "up North." Do we really need "Big Brother" to tell us to drive there slowly to save gas even if it means spending another night at a motel - or should we be allowed to make our own mistakes?

If we allow that, they may come up with campaigns about us driving only four-cylinder cars, limiting our consumption of electricity, etc.

If they really want to save energy, why not mandate that government offices be kept at 78 degrees and all employees use short-sleeved shirts instead of the typical long sleeves and jackets? How about mandating the government starts buying only four-cylinder cars?

MICKEY MARTINASEK

Mulberry

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